Rita Odafe
Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and publisher from Nigeria, has declared that he will refuse his bail conditions, even if they are supported by President Bola Tinubu.
The former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) is presently held by the police after being summoned for questioning regarding accusations of cyberstalking and intimidation.
This police interrogation relates to a widely circulated video where Sowore challenged officers at a checkpoint in Lagos.
Despite the situation, Sowore has dismissed the police’s bail stipulations, which include forfeiting his international passport and securing a surety who is a level 17 civil servant.
In statements to reporters, he made it clear that he would not engage in what he terms an “illegality.” He criticized the conditions as “laughable” and “ridiculous,” asserting that the police lack the authority to grant such bail.
Sowore remarked, “I cannot consciously be part of an illegality brought by the police. Their requirement for a civil servant who owns a N100 million property is evidently corrupt.”
He emphasized his long-standing commitment to fighting corruption, stating, “I am a publisher of a well-known international news platform and hire staff both locally and overseas. I am not a civil servant but an advocate against corruption.”
He expressed his disdain for the notion that a level 17 civil servant should serve as his guarantor, calling it a profound insult, particularly when he reflects on his activism from 1992, when he asserts he held more influence than Tinubu at that time.
Sowore continued, “Even if President Tinubu were to act as my surety, I would still find those bail conditions absurd and offensive.”
He clarified that while the court could claim his passport, the police’s demand for such a surety and the deposit of his passport was completely unjustifiable.
“A level 17 role is a politically appointed position, so expecting such an individual to back me is unreasonable. I’m not being arrogant; in 1992, I had more prominence in Nigerian society than Tinubu, who was just a senator.”
He concluded that many current police officers, including Egbetokun, likely held far lesser ranks during his days of activism, questioning the legitimacy of their actions today.
